• USA Baseball "A" and "B" and "C" Coaches Certifications


• Mark's baseball life started in San Diego, where he played Little League and then high school baseball. After high school, he attended UC Santa Barbara and focused on academics, and graduated with a degree in Nuclear Engineering. Yes, he likes physics, which is very useful in terms of teaching and understanding baseball.
  
  After college, he returned to San Diego and started playing again in 18+ baseball leagues and got involved in baseball operations helping run the SDABL for over a decade. On the field, he discovered his love of pitching which has become his primary position after playing catcher for most of his youth years. He has managed and played for countless teams, and has led teams to championships in five different divisions.  He currently plays for the Black Sox, who participate in the National Adult Baseball Association World Series in Phoenix each October.  Mark believes that continuing to play the game he loves helps him teach it to the kids he coaches, and staying in baseball shape allows him to demonstrate what he teaches.
  
  He has had the privilege of coaching Little League (8 yrs), All Stars (5) and High School (2) baseball. In 2016, he managed the 4SRLL 10U team which won the District 31 and Section 6 championships. He has also coached and managed in other travel ball organizations in the San Diego area, including the STARS and MIT (now BPA) and learned a lot during those experiences.
  
  Coach Mark was drawn to the idea that the world of travel baseball needed to do more on behalf of players and families, and do it in an innovative, positive way. In 2016, he took the leap and resigned from his job as a tech entrepreneur --- starting the San Diego Hawks --- which is now the largest travel ball organization in San Diego.
  
  Mark has also started / launched other baseball services to support the larger San Diego Baseball community : San Diego Baseball Alliance (2019), The Nest Baseball Academy (2022) and is a Tournament Director for NCS.
  
  Mark has been involved in high school baseball for the last 8 years, and is currently the head baseball coach for the Del Norte Nighthawks Freshman team.
  
  Mark Strauch
  Holistic Baseball - Founder
  San Diego Hawks Baseball - Founder
  Founder - SD Baseball Alliance
  Owner - The Nest Baseball Academy​